How to Write Scholarship Essay
Scholarship essays vary dramatically in subject. However, most of them require a recounting of personal experience. These tips will be more helpful for writing personal essays, like for the National Merit Scholarship, than for writing academic essays.
The most important aspect of your scholarship essay is the subject matter. You should expect to devote about 1-2 weeks simply to brainstorming ideas. To begin brainstorming subject ideas consider the following points. From brainstorming, you may find a subject you had not considered at first.
-
What are your major accomplishments, and why do you consider them
accomplishments?
-
Does any attribute, quality, or skill distinguish you from everyone else? How
did you develop this attribute?
-
Consider your favorite books, movies, works of art, etc. Have these influenced
your life in a meaningful way? Why are they your favorites?
-
What was the most difficult time in your life, and why? How did your perspective
on life change as a result of the difficulty?
-
Have you ever struggled mightily for something and succeeded? What made you
successful?
-
Have you ever struggled mightily for something and failed? How did you respond?
-
Of everything in the world, what would you most like to be doing right now?
Where would you most like to be? Who, of everyone living and dead, would you
most like to be with? These questions should help you realize what you love
most.
-
Have you experienced a moment of epiphany, as if your eyes were opened to
something you were previously blind to?
-
What is your strongest, most unwavering personality trait? Do you maintain
strong beliefs or adhere to a philosophy? How would your friends characterize
you? What would they write about if they were writing your scholarship essay for
you?
-
What have you done outside of the classroom that demonstrates qualities sought
after by universities? Of these, which means the most to you?
-
What are your most important extracurricular or community activities? What made
you join these activities? What made you continue to contribute to them?
-
What are your dreams of the future? When you look back on your life in thirty
years, what would it take for you to consider your life successful? What people,
things, and accomplishments do you need? How does this particular scholarship
fit into your plans for the future?
|